Fish-trap.



PATENTED JUNE 16,1903.

ONEAL WATSON. FISH TRAP. APPLICATION FILED 111:0. 2', 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

NO MODEL.

.No. 731,398. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903.

ONEA'L WATSON. FISH TRAP.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 2, 1902.

5N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 m: Norms PETERS cn. PHOYD-LITHO, WASHINGTON. n. c.

Patented June 16,1903.

'nrrcn.

PATENT ONEAL WATSON, OF ORAWFORDSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES E. LACEY, OF CRAWFORDSVILLE, INDIANA.

FISHETRAP.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 731,398, dated June 16, 1903.

Application filed December 2, 1902. Serial No. 138,598- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ON EAL WATSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crawfordsville, in the county of Montgomery and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fish-Traps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in fish-traps ofthat kind and construction particularly adapted for entrapping minnows for bait; and the object is to provide a trap of the kind named which is of the folding or knockdown type, so that it may constitute a part of a fishermans or anglers kit and be set up and then set in the water to entrap the fish and then folded to occupy very little space among the luggage and accoutrements of an angler. p

The invention embodies a base, folding end pieces, detachable transparent sides, and folding or knockdown trap entrance of novel construction, as will be hereinafter fully described, and the novelty claimed will be particularly and distinctly pointed out.

I have fully and clearly illustrated the invention in the accompanying drawings, to be taken as a part of this specification, and wherein- Figure 1 isa perspective view of the trap set up and inuse. Fig. 2 is a transverse central vertical section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the trap folded. Fig. 4. is a longitudinal central vertical section through the trap. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the coupling or ridge-plate.

In the drawings like reference notations indicate like parts in all of the illustrations.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the bottom or floor of the trap, made of some noncorrodible sheet metal, such as tin or graniteiron, of such area as may be adapted for the purposes intended and is formed with a vertical edge flange 2, extending on all sides the end flanges of the bottom the metal of the flanges is cut away, leaving the strengthening-wire exposed, so as to permit the hingestraps 3 of the end plates or walls 4: 5 to be pivotally secured thereto at their bases. The end plates 4. 5 are duplicates in general contour or shape and consist of suitable sheetmetal plates of triangular contour, the bases of which are hinged to the bottom by the hinges 3. squared 0%, as shown, and are perforated, as at 6, to take in the hooks of the handle. The side edges of the end pieces are formed with flanges 7, against which the ends of the glass side panes stand when the trap is set up. To prevent the glass sides from falling inward and to hold them in place, cleats 8 are pro- The tops of the end pieces are vided on the inner faces of the end plates, be-

tween which and the flanges 7 the ends of the glass sides are placed. On the floor of the bottom are cleats 9, parallel with the side flanges, between which and the flanges the lower edges of the glass sides are held.

The sides of the trap consist of square panes of glass 10 11, detachably fitted in the square spaces of the end pieces, the bottom, and the ridge-plate.

When the device is set up, the parts are held together by means of a ridge-plate 12, reaching from end to end of the trap and covering the tops of'the end pieces and the upper edges of the glass sides. The ridge-plate consists of a plate of sheet metal formed with downwardly turned edge flanges 13 and turned-down ends 14, having perforations 15, registering with the perforations 6 in the end plates. In the bottom and also in the end plates are made a plurality of holes 16, which permit the water to flow into the trap when immersed in the water and out of it when lifted from the water.

The handle 17 consists of a middle bailloop 18 and horizontally-extended arms 19, terminatingin hooks 20,Which engage through the apertures in the ears of the ridge-plate and those in the upper ends of the end plates, as shown in the drawings, the loop of the handle being spread in the process of engagement and then retracted to draw the hooks inward, and thus holding the parts together. The handle also serves for lifting the trap and for carrying it when set up.

In the end plate 1 is made a hand-hole 21, bounded on the lower end and vertical sides by guide-cleats 22, wherein a door 23 is slidably' disposed. Access to the interior is thus provided to remove the captured fish or other bait.

In the end plate 5 is made an opening 24, through which the fish enter into the trap, as indicated in the drawings, Fig. 1. About .the entrance are formed side flanges 25, inclined inward, as shown, against the outer faces of which the glass pieces of the entrance port or cage set when in use, being-held in vertical position at their inner edges by cleats 26. Adjacent to the upper edge of the entrance is hinged a plate 27, having converging side edges and straight inner end, as shown. To the inner and free end of the plate 27 are secured spring-arms 28 29, which reach back along the edges of the plate and are formed to bear with their free ends against the glass sides of the entrance-cage and hold them in position at that part. On the floor of the trap is secured a vertical piece 30, the ends of which serve as stops to prevent the glass plates from collapsing at their lower ends. The piece 30 is extended inward the proper distance and then formed with a sleeve 31, wherein is pivotally supported the crossbar of spring-arms 32 33, the ends of which bear against the outer faces of the glass plates and press and hold them in place at their lower ends.

34 35 designate the glass plates of the entrance-cage, having their outer vertical edges posited between the cleats 26 and the side flanges of the entrance, with theirlower ends standing between the ends of the vertical piece, and the spring-arms 32 33 and their upper ends extending above the plate 27 and held between its edges and the spring-arms 28 29, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. It will be perceived that the glass plates 34 35 are arranged on converging lines from their outer edges to their inner edges, making the entrance broader than the exit, so that the minnows enter unobstructed, and after finding their way into the room of the trap they are held with reasonable certainty against escaping through the contracted space between the inner edges of the glasses 34 35.

To assemble and arrange the device for the uses intended, the entrance-cage may be first set up. This is accomplished by first turning up the end plate 5 and then turning the plate 27 to horizontality and then arranging the'glass plates with their outer vertical edges between the flanges of the entrance and the cleats and upper end portions between the edges of the plate 27 and the spring-arms of the plate and their lower ends lodged between the ends of the piece 30 and the springarms 32 and 33. This part is then in proper condition for use. Then the end plate 4 is turned into vertical position, the side glasses then slipped in position, the ridge-plate then placed in position, and then the handle is fixed in position, and the trap is ready to angular end plates hinged to the bottom, glass side panes closing the spaces between the end plates, and a ridge-plate connecting the tops of the end plates and covering the upper edges of the glass side panes.

2. A minnow-trap comprising a bottom, triangular end plates hinged to the bottom, glass side panes closing the spaces between the end plates, a ridge-plate connecting the tops of the end plates and covering the upper edges of the glass side plates, and a handle having inturned ends projected through the ends of the ridge-plate and the tops of the end plates.

3. A minnow-trap comprising a bottom, a triangular end plate hinged to one end of the bottom and formed with a hand-opening, a door to close the opening, a triangular end plate hinged to the other end of the bottom and formed with an entrance-opening, vertically-disposed glass plates extending inward from the entrance and arranged on converging lines relatively to each other, a cover for the glass plates, glass side panes closing the spaces between the end plates, a ridge-plate connecting the end plates and covering the upper edges of the glass side panes, and a handle having inwardly-turned end hooks extending through the ends of the ridge-plate and the tops of the end plates.

4. The combination with the casing of the trap having an entrance-opening through one end, of vertically-disposed glass plates extending inward from the said opening on converging lines, a hinged cover for the glass plates, and means to hold the glass plates removably in relative position.

5. The combination with the casing of the trap having an entrance-opening through one end, of vertically-placed glass plates extending inward from the entrance-opening and arranged relatively on converging lines, a tapering cover to set between the upper ends of the glass plates, spring-arms on the cover to bear against the outer faces of the glass plates, a spreading-piece to set between the lower end of said plates, and spring-arms to engage the ends on the outer sides.

6. A minnow-trap comprising a bottom, a triangular end plate hinged to the bottom and formed with a hand-opening, a door to close the opening, a triangular end plate hinged to the other end of the bottom and provided with an entrance-opening, glass plates extending inwardly from said opening and arranged on relatively oo'nverginglines, atapen side panes, and a handle having its ends ing hinged cover to set between the upper turned inwardly through the ends of the ridgeend of the glass'plates, spring-arms on the plate and the tops of the end plates.

cover to engage the outer faces of the glass In testimony whereof I affix my signature 5 plates, a plate on the bottom to set between in presence of two Witnesses.

the plates, spring-arms to set against the r outer faces of the plates, glass side panes clos- O NEAL WA PSON' in g the'spaoes between the end plates, a ridge- Witnesses:

plate connecting the upper ends of the end THEODORE D. BROWN, to plates and covering the upper edges of the GILBERT HOWELL. 

